


The Greatest of Treasures

by EmerialynCodeVenice



Series: Djinn Dirk AU [1]
Category: Homestuck
Genre: Adventurer Jake, And An Emotional Mess, But Jake Finds It Endearing, Depressed/Traumatized/Annoyed Dirk, Dirk Is Done With Jake, Dirk Is Just Trying To Do His Job, Dirk is A Treasure-Literally, Djinn Dirk, Horribly Flirtatious Jake, Jake Is A Picky Customer, Jake Is Not Done With Dirk, M/M, Trapped Ancient Spirit Dirk
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-20
Updated: 2017-12-30
Packaged: 2019-02-17 09:52:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13074387
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EmerialynCodeVenice/pseuds/EmerialynCodeVenice
Summary: Trapped in this place for thousands of years, Dirk has gotten used to a routine. Spend centuries asleep, awake when an adventurer finally finds this place, see if they survive the trials. If they succeed and reach the Cavern of Hearts, Dirk is to present them with a treasure of their choosing. They pick. They leave. And he’s alone again. This is the way it’s always been. So why does this new adventurer refuse to play to the script?AKA: Whereas Sad Djinn Dirk is just trying to do his job, but Adventurer Jake is more interested in him than the priceless treasures.





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wanted to write some Dirk/Jake one-shots (cause the world could always use more) which gave birth to this and all related ideas that I have come to call the ‘Djinn Dirk AU’ related series. Not the most accurate name (like, ‘Recovering Former Spirit Dirk Goes Through Feels’ might be more on point lol), but I promise it’s a run read as poor Spirit Dirk has to put up with darn Adventurer Jake who won't act like a typical tomb raider.

 

_Your stir from centuries of sleep, the footsteps of a traveler entering your cavern rippling like condensed dew dripping into the water of an underwater cave._

_drip. drip. drip._

_You reach out, searching to learn more about this presence, before realizing that your eyes are still closed. It had been so long since you had last needed to open your eyes. Trapped forever in this place, unable to step even a foot from it, you had long since memorized the walls that make your prison._

_To those who come here, the adventurers who come far and wide to partake in it, it is a place of wonders. Excitement. Mystique. But, to you, it is a sad place. A long-crumbling palace forced to sustain itself as its sole resident continues to survive. A tomb to house a spirit so scorned and hated, that he does not even get to join the many whose overconfidence leads this to become their burial place as well._

_You’re not sure what is so enticing about this place, this burial chamber, that it manages to draw the few it does allure over the centuries. You know it’s not him, the spirit of this cavern, but rather the treasures that are promised within its depths that tempt adventures like a siren’s call. You suppose you should be glad for them, then, the treasure that is. For what movement it does bring to this dead place and to the spirit housed inside.  But then they leave, living or deceased, and the spirit remains._

_You remain._

_Finally, you recall how your senses work enough to_ open your eyes, fluttering them slowly as you take in the stalagmite covered ceiling above you. One hand balances on the pile of gold beneath you, the smooth metal shifting beneath your movement, while the other languidly raises to your face. You rub centuries worth of sand from your eyes, amber orbs blinking as vision returns to you.

The cavern is the same as you left it, untouched since the last traveler visited all that time ago. Besides the pile of gold you sit upon, there are mounds of treasure filling the room to its brim, overwhelming in type, culture, and value. There was something here for every traveler to find worth in, should they survive to reach these depths. You wondered if this new traveler would survive to take one home with him.

Him.

You knew it was a him, could feel it as _his_ steps continued to echo throughout the chamber. He was already further than most would be at this point. You wonder how he made it past the third trap, a stone room where a single misstep would send every brick down to drag you under. You knew the combination, the safe passage to every trap in this place, but you also knew that time continued to pass even as you remained the same. The languages and skills needed to survive these challenges were continuing to decline, something proven by the decreasing number of travelers throughout time.

Once, there had been an adventurer to take a treasure here every few months, it seemed.

Then, it was every few years.

Then, decades.

Now? Centuries.

You continue to lay upon the gold for another few moments, tracking the traveler with that invisible sense that linked you to this cavern for as long as it and you continued to sense. He was… doing rather well. While you couldn’t get a good look of him unless he survived to these depths, you could, however, get a feel for his body makeup.

That jump he just made, and the time that it took for him to return to the ground, he was strong. You could almost feel the way his toes curled in his boots as he prepared for his next jump, seeming to sense the trap even before it was unleashed.

And, there, that scrape of his hand against the walls. Calloused, but young. Whoever this was, they were accomplished despite being of young age. Likely filled with enthusiasm and a sense of adventure… so different from you. You who had nothing inside but emptiness and a stagnation that survived even when nothing else could in this place.

You continued to ‘watch’ him, study this stranger as he traversed your walls. You felt your breath hitch when his shirt caught upon a jagged edge. Was this it? Was this where this traveler’s journey ended, like so many before him?

No, it wasn’t. He brought his hand up, some sort of knife in his possession, and hacked the cloth free before it could be his undoing, safely avoiding the danger that would have come to his person had he remained there a moment longer. You relax, a strange sort of peace falling over you as you feel him continue through the rest of the trials. You don’t know why, but you had a feeling this one make it to the end.

Despite yourself, you felt something somber grow inside you, at the thought of this traveler leaving again so soon. It never took long, choosing a treasure. Many travelers even already knew the precise object that they had come searching for, taking it and leaving with barely another word. Leaving with barely a glance at the spirit that haunted this place. Leaving you alone for another few centuries to wait for the next traveler to stumble upon this place.

Of course, there were the times when a traveler did not heed your words, attempting to take more than one treasure. In those cases, the cavern was certainly more entertaining for a few moments as powers beyond your control punished the foolish adventurer, but even then it was over in moments and stillness returned.

Your heartbeat quickens as the traveler makes it to the last trial, barely a distance from this chamber you reside in now. Somehow, you know that he’ll make it, will live to see all these treasures in their esteemed glory.

You bend from the waist and rise up from your bed of gold, glancing at your attire for a mere moment. For as long as you had been trapped in this place, you knew your appearance had not changed. There were many names that you had been called— _spirit, genie, demon, djinn, ghost—_ but you knew for a fact that you resembled a human. You knew this because that’s what you once were, even if that was no longer what you were.

In a nearby ornate mirror with intricate flower designs patterned around it, your reflection stared back at you. You mourned for the day that some traveler inevitably took it with them, took away the only reassurance that at least some part of your humanity remained, but for now you used it to study yourself, as you always did upon awakening. It’s not that you thought something would change, nothing ever did, but it a strange type of comfort, a tradition, that you saw no point in changing.

What appeared to be a young man stared back at you. Skin deathly pale— _understandable from thousands of years without sunlight_ —with the guile of seeming fragile. You knew it not to be the truth. Many a time have you tried to break the skin of this vessel that traps you, even going as far as placing yourself in the traps meant for certain death, but, still, this skin refuses to break.

The next thing you notice is your angular facial features, far unlike the round-faced statues that accompany the treasure here. You knew you were unattractive, after so long of comparing yourself to the icons of what people truly preferred. Had you any reason to be vain, it might have irritated you, but the thing you hated the most about your face was that it almost reminded you of someone. Someones. There was once a time that you shared these features with another, but the ability to recall such things had long such left you, leaving you to only feel somberness as you stared at the mirror.

_But, sometimes, in your worst nightmares. You recalled. You remembered those who you once shared features with. You tried not to remember, to not remember the blood, the pain, the look on **their faces as you did NOTHING—**_

You move from such thoughts, line of vision flickering to your amber eyes. There were very few things in the cavern of such a color, the gold sheen below you the most prominent before yielding to the red of rubies, blue of sapphires, and green of emeralds. You weren’t sure if this was a good thing or not. On one hand, it was something different to look at. On the other, it was another reminder that you did not belong, and yet was forced to stay.

At last, you regarded your clothing. It was most fortunate you did not get cold for you had no shirt, only a maroon vest to drape over your shoulders. For pants, they were likewise the same deep maroon color, baggy but with a sash to tie them. Beyond that, you wore plain orange sandals. There were a few types of clothing in this chamber, enchanted dresses and magnificent capes for kings, but you did not touch them. After all, like the mirror, not of the things in this room was yours.

_You weren’t even yours._

You tensed, ear twitching as you heard, as well as felt, movement from a top of the stairs leading down to this chamber of treasures. Anticipation, as well as curiosity, filled you, as you watched the traveler descend down the steps. You were hidden from his immediate view, a spiraling pillar separating you, so you took your time to examine this newcomer quietly.

It surprised you, and didn’t, to find this traveler was nothing like you. Whereas your features were pale and fragile, his skin dark with the blessings of sunlight and muscles firm as he strolled down the stairs with seemingly a care in the world. Like those before him, he regarded the room with undisclosed awe, bright green eyes seeming to shine against the glow of gold and fire-lit torches. 

Knowing you could not prolong this moment, your duty, any longer, you slid from your pile of gold— _the rustle of coins causing him to jerk and turn towards you—_ and stepped forward into the light.

You’re not sure what it was, what you felt, when your eyes met his, a dull amber with vivid emerald, but you knew enough to sense his surprise.

“Criminey, mate!” The traveler’s eyes widened and he clutched a hand at his chest, as if your surprise appearance was more dangerous than all the trials he had just undertaken. “Couldn’t you warn a chap that you’re there?”  

Your head tilts, wondering at his odd language, but savoring the new accent all the while. Those who came here were all different, and even if you forgot every one, you knew you enjoyed the differences while they lasted in your mind.

 “Welcome, Traveler,” you recited monotone, standing still for lack of anything else to do with your limbs as you stared at the stranger. “I congratulate you on successfully completing the trials of the Cavern of Hearts. For your daring bravery and masterful insight, your reward is to choose a single treasure from this chamber. But choose only one, for punishment awaits those with hearts filled with greed.”

The traveler stared for a moment before blinking, a rueful smile crossing his lips. “Oh. I see what’s going on here, chap. You’re the infamous spirit of the cavern, aren’t you?”

You slowly shrug, honestly surprised that any traveler had bothered saying anything about you after departing with their reward. You gesture at the treasures before you. “There is a wealth of objects and items to choose from, is there anything particular to your liking, Traveler?”

“Please call me ‘Jake,’” the traveler said, smiling impishly as he finally looked away from you to the room filled with treasures. “And, I don’t know, there certainly are quite a few shiny things in here, aren’t there?”

A pang of irritation fills you, but you conceal it. Shiny things? You might not have any use for the objects in here, but knew that many would slit the throats of their closest loved one to have a chance to even witness some of the things in here. And he just calls them _shiny_? No matter, he’d find what he so sought and would be on his way in time.

“There are,” you said in response to his previous inquiry. “But they do more than shine.”

You walked, moving for the first time since he arrived and knelt down to one of the larger piles covered in assorted gemstones and silver. You barely needed to shift anything around to find what you desired, having thought about it the moment you saw his eyes.

Carefully pulling out the ornate box, you turned around to him and opened it. Inside, upon a bright yellow cloth, a diamond-encrusted ring with a large, shining emerald shone brightly from inside.

_There were a few things in this room that seemed to mean more to you than the others. You didn’t understand it, only finding that those objects were generally on a purple background while those with yellow bases also invoked such a reaction. They were from—_

“This is the Emerald Star of Prospit—” _Pang. Why did your heart hurt?_ “—It was given as a gift to the prince of Derse—” **_PANG_** _. Somehow that hurt even more._ “—as a show of peace between the two kingdoms. Besides being incredibly valuable, it’s said to grant great protection to whoever wears it.”

Much to your surprise, the traveler frowns and shakes his head. “It’s certainly a wonderful trinket, mate, but I’m not much for jewelry. Besides, what fun would an adventure be without some danger?”

 _‘It’d be survivable,’_   you think idly with a frown, but nod obediently. You carefully close the box and put it back on the pile, a hint of relief that you don’t quite understand going through you as you do so. You wrack your head for something else in this pile before deciding to simply ask.

“Is there any gemstone you wish for?” you ask. “The Cavern of Hearts has the ability to summon any wealth in the world, should you desire it, Traveler.”  

“Eh, wealth doesn’t really suit my fancy,” admitted Jake. “I mean, it certainly makes a few things more comfortable, but in general I’m on the go too much to have real need of it. Besides, I’ve got quite a bit of inheritance from my Grandma that is more than enough to share between my cousin and I!

You resist your urge to visibly frown. It was logical. If he was already wealthy, then truly what use was more? No, he must be here for something much more rare.

You moved from the piles of gold to one of the tables, carved wood still strong even after all this time. Upon it were ancient scrolls and rope-binded pages that you remember many scholar-type adventures to literally drool over the pages in indecision. Those were the type who stayed the longest, contemplating long and hard on which to take before snatching it and leaving without another word.

However, before you can even reach out to take one, the Traveler was speaking _again._

“Oh, are you going for the scrolls?” He gave a rueful smile. “Sorry, not much a reader either. Don’t really sit down in one place long enough to if I’m being honest.”

Your eye twitched, willing yourself to be patient even as confusion and some sort of unease filled you. This wasn’t the first time that you had what you would call a ‘picky chooser.’ But, in those cases, the adventurer would hear your spiel, nod, and then go off on his or her own to find something. This traveler was just _standing there_.

You breathed out, steeling your nerves even as you swallowed back your feelings. There was another thing putting you on edge. He was watching you. You _knew he was._ You didn’t have to be a hypersensitive all-aware spirit to know that. But why? Was he planning on attacking you? There were a few who had reacted rather violently upon your first appearance or believed that killing you would allow them to take all the treasure they wish.

You hoped that he wasn’t planning to do the same as them. For whatever reason, you found your stomach twisting in discomfort at the way the cavern would punish him if he attempted to harm you. Some might think it was the cavern protecting you, but it was quite the opposite.

You had already made clear that it was impossible to harm this timeless body, but there were many weapons and forces in this world even beyond the power that kept you bonded. The cavern was simply doing its job to _make sure_ that you continued to be _trapped for eternity._

Strangely enough, the reminder of your everlasting prison centered you enough to continue your search. What would it take to satisfy this man?

 _Perhaps music_ , you mused. They were rare, but a few travelers did take back with them some of the enchanted musical items. You remember one woman who had taken a silver harp with her that could bewitch any who listened to it, hearing her mutter about changing everything with it. You never did find out what these travelers did with their treasures, but a part of you knew it best not to know.

Before you could reach for a flute that you knew gave the owner the ability to beckon animals to his call, your traveler stopped you yet again. “Sorry, old chap, not must of a music person either. Not to say that I do not enjoy a jolly tune, but not quite the thing that keeps me up at night, you understand?”

“What _is_ it that you want then?” you finally ask, exasperated beyond belief. “You do not wish for wealth, knowledge, or power, so what is the point of coming here? Everyone knows that those who accomplish the trials of the Cavern of Hearts shall be granted the treasure their heart desires.”

At that, Jake frowned. “Well, to be truthful chum, I didn’t quite go through the ‘ _trials of the Cavern of Hearts’_ for treasure. Rather, I thought it’d be a good spot of adventure, you see?”

If you had any less control not perfected from centuries of practice, your jaw would have dropped open. Adventure? He only came here for _fun_? Well, you supposed that you _had_ heard of those sorts, but generally, they got tired of it very quickly or died a very gruesome death. Regardless, any who _did_ make it here _always_ left with something. That just wasn’t something that _changed!_

“Oh, dear, have I upset you?”

Your head snapped up and you saw him regarding you, something akin to sheepish apology written upon his features. “Grandma always did tell me that I had a habit of being trapped in the ideas of my own noggin too much. Does it really mean that much to you that I find something?”

You swallowed, or would have if your throat wasn’t so dry. What was he asking? It was one thing to not want a treasure, even with so many laid out before you, but it was _another thing_ to be worried— _worried? Was that the right term here—_ for the spirit who guarded it. He couldn’t begin to understand this traveler.

_Of course, why did he need to? It would only be a matter of time before he found something, before this one chose something like all the others and left you down here alone._

With that thought in mind, you steadied your emotions and nodded. “Yes, that is my purpose here.”

He gave you something of a worried look— _why? Why did he look like that—_ before obediently coming over to kneel by the piles of treasure with you. “Well then, carry on then, old chap,” said Jake with a wide, toothy grin as he gestured at the pile without much care. “Regale me further with your collection of prizes.”

 _They’re not_ my _collection_ , you wanted to say, but you held your tongue. You wracked your brain, given the odd task of trying to find something to suit this silly human. He was obviously very picky, so it definitely had to be one of a kind. Perhaps—

“By the way,” said Jake, interrupting your thoughts yet again. “What’s your name be? I certainly can’t keep referring to you as ‘Spirit,’ now can I?”

 _No one usually refers to me at all_.

Despite your thoughts, you actually thought about it. It had been a long, long, _long_ time since you had last used your name, and even longer since you had been called it. But you remembered it. You knew you did. It was written on the wall over there, all those years ago, when you had feared this very thing of forgetting. Why you bothered, you didn’t know anymore, for what point was there for you to have a name? Still, you remembered it. It was—

“Dirk,” you said finally, wondering if you had been silent for long. “My name is… Dirk.”

Jake watched you for a moment before his mouth widened into a large smile. “Well then, _Dirk_ , it’s very nice to meet you.”

He held out his hand and, for whatever unfathomable reason, you actually took it, tilting your head in confusion as his smile only grew.

You returned to your quest, your determination to find him— _Jake, his name was Jake; just like your name was Dirk—_ something that suited him renewed with a strange fire. Suddenly, it was a lot more important to you to find something that he liked, something that made it _worthwhile_ for him to come down here. Apparently, he risked his life all the time for the fun of it, but you still wanted to… reward him or whatever.

“So, _Dirk_ —” You weren’t certain how you felt about the way his mouth formed your name, something of a warm shiver— _if that even made sense—_ crawling up your spine at the sound of it. “—have you been here long, mate? And, if it isn’t altogether rude, mind I ask what you are?”

You frowned, but grudgingly answer. “I don’t know,” you said, replying to the first question. “It’s been… a very long time since I was put here. As for what I am, I am… was human.”

Jake’s eyes widened. “Human? But, this, the Cavern of Hearts has been around for—”

“Thousands of years,” you finish, nodding. “Like I said, it’s been a long time.”

His lips press together, some unreadable emotion that you didn’t understand in them. “Why?” he asked finally.

You tilted your head in confusion and he clarified. “Why are you down here? I mean, any regular old human would have already perished long ago. And you are…” His eyes trailed downwards over your body. To your confusion, a sort of redness covered his cheeks before his eyes snapped back up, looking away in embarrassment.

“Still alive?” you put in finally, not quite understanding the sudden distraction. “It’s my curse. I can’t really remember—” _And what you did remember was too painful to dwell upon._ “—but, a long time ago, a  powerful being—” _A **demon** ; that was the only way to refer to that monster. _“—cursed me to be eternally bound to this chamber. I would never change, never die. Only remain to greet travelers and award them whatever treasure their heart desires.”

“What, but, that’s preposterous!” exclaimed Jake, make you feel a bit of annoyance— _you might not remember much, but you didn’t like being called a liar—_ that miraculously faded with his next words. “What sort of demon would do that to someone? How downright _evil_! To curse you, _anyone_ , to such a fate!”

You blinked, not entirely certain what he was upset about, but feeling the urge to quell it and make him smile again. “It’s fine,” you said finally. “I’m used to it.”

He scowled, and you were taken by the sudden urge to smooth it out. “Well, you shouldn’t be! What a loathsome character. And, to think, I was so intrigued by the stories I heard of this place. To know that it was all caused by some loathsome foul soul does ruin my enjoyment of it immensely.”

Your heart sunk and you looked down, ashamed. “Sorry,” you murmured. Look at you. Messing up the one job you had in this place. Obviously, whoever who had trapped you all those years ago should have chosen a more suited punishment for you. Something that you wouldn’t inherently screw up without even knowing what you did.

“Dirk? _Dirk_. Oh, bollocks—”

You jolted, a warm hand taking your chin and gently turning it so that you came eye to eye with Jake’s bright green eyes. Your heart skipped a beat as your nerves lit on **_fire_** at being _touched_ for the _first time in—_

“I’m sorry, love,” your heart skipped another beat, and again you didn’t know why, “I made it sound like I was frightfully angry at you, didn’t I?”

You didn’t say anything, but something in your silence must have spoken for you because he continued, looking strangely remorseful. “I didn’t mean to ruin what conversation we were having. I was simply… upset that someone would do such a thing. Especially to someone so obviously wonderful.”

“Wonderful?” you parrot in disbelief. Wonderful? There couldn’t be a _worse_ word to describe you. While you hadn’t seen more than a handful of people for the last thousand years, you knew very well that, even while alive, you weren’t that great. You had gotten yourself cursed, hadn’t you? Failed those relying on you, failed _them_ and let _them **die** —_

“No,” you say firmly, bringing yourself from your awful thoughts. “There’s nothing ‘ _wonderful’_ abo

You jerk your head away from him— _a part of you **crying** as you wrenched yourself from that burning touch—_ resolutely looking through the piles of gold. “Let’s just find you something so you can leave and forget you ever saw me like every other explorer, alright?”

You felt, more so than saw, Jake— _the traveler, it didn’t matter what his name was—_ hesitated before giving a slow nod. “If that’s what you want, dear.”

You felt something inside of you flush at the endearment, but you resolutely ignored it. You mindlessly grab at a sword in the pile and jerk it towards him. “Here, this sword strikes fear in the hearts of any enemy who—”

“Pass,” said Jake, a small frown on his lips. “That doesn’t sound like much of fair play. Besides, guns are a bit more useful in this day and age.”

Your eyebrow twitched. What the hell was a gun? It didn’t matter. You _would_ find something that would please him!

…a promise that proved more difficult than you could have possibly believed. With every item you pointed to in the pile, he would simply find some fault in it. If that wasn’t bad enough, he would also ask you _completely unrelated questions._

“—a crystal ball that allows you to see the future—”

“—I think it better to not know my future, honestly. Takes the fun out of it, really. Speaking of futures, do you truly plan to spend the rest of your life in here—”

“—here’s a waterskin that never runs dry—”

“—being without water is a dire situation, but I think I’ll be right as rain if I decline your offer. Say, Dirk, do you eat or drink anything while you’re down here—” 

“—telescope that allows you to see the path ahead—”

“—same as the future, prefer not to know. Say, can you see everything that happens in here—”

It was _relentless._ No matter how many things you offered— _or how many times you rebuffed his efforts to start a strangely personal conversation—_ he would simply reject your efforts and continue on his ‘ _merry old way.’_

With an irritated huff, you jump to your feet and start heading towards another pile. You don’t have to look back to know that he’s following you, something of a _smile_ seeming to grow on his lips. What the—? Did he find your scrambling and inability to please him _funny_? You’d show him!

You went over to a grand wardrobe, wrenching open the wood carved doors with flowers and angels drawn upon it. However, you did not anticipate the dust— _which is stupid, since you had opened this wardrobe a hundred times and it seemed to always spawn more **dust** —_cloud to hit you in the face.

You cough, one hand raising to your mouth to try and avoid breathing in any more. A hand pressed against your back, rubbing your shoulders and making them _tingle_.

You look over, a concerned look on Jake’s face that was somehow less of a comfort than the previous smile. “Are you alright there, Dirk?” _Your name, why did your name sound so good?_ “Quite a load of dust you swallowed right there.”

“Fine,” you croaked, your cheeks brightening with embarrassment at the quality of your voice. His quiet snigger only made it spread and you resolutely stared forward inside of the wardrobe, picking out the sleek, black top hat that you had thought about when coming over. “Here, this hat will allow you to go invisible—”

“I admit that might come in handy one day,” mused Jake. “But I think you’ll find that none of the things here quite meet my fancy—"

_THAT WAS **IT**. _

You grit your teeth and turn on him, eyes blazing and feeling _something_ inside of you that you had thought long dead. “What is your problem? You’ve passed all the trials. I’ve laid out the rules. What more do you want? You can literally have _anything_ you want in this room!”

“I can have anything I want from this cavern?” asked Jake suddenly, the seriousness of his alluring eyes catching you off guard.

You flounder, something inside of you cracking— _is it now? Will he finally decide and leave—_ but straighten and nod. “Whatever you wish,” you repeat. “The Cavern of Hearts will honor whatever request you desire.”

“Then…” You expected Jake to look around, to consider his options, _not_ to keep staring you down like he was searching through your _soul_. “I want _you_.”

Something _panged_ inside of you, deeper and stronger than ever before. It echoed like a rock in an empty cavern and plunged deep into the water-logged depths of your soul. What? There was no way that he could have just said that.

“You…” You find that words are suddenly hard to form. The feeling alone wasn’t odd, there were times you simply forgot how to speak for a while, but after being forced to speak relatively non-stop for the last— _how long had it been since Jake had arrived? It felt like a while… and yet not—_ you knew your newfound speechlessness wasn’t for the same reason.

You swallow. “You want… a servant? A slave?”

You could see that. It had happened before where people wanted power over others. Generally, though, they would just use one of the treasures in here to achieve it.

To your surprise, Jake looked appalled. “I, what, _no_!” he said firmly, making you inwardly cower at the sudden ferocity of his tone. “I firmly believe that taking the freedom of any sentient creature is, without the doubt, the lowest depths that a man can soar!”

“But then,” you flounder, grasping for straws that didn’t exist. “I… you realize that I am not a genie, right? Even if you take me with you—” _Was that even possible? No, it couldn’t be. Even if Jake desired it, there was no way the Cavern of Hearts would ever let you go._ “—I will have no abilities or skills to benefit you. I’d be less than worthless—”

“Now, you listen here, Dirk!” You flinch, frightened by the barely concealed anger on his face.

He seemed to notice the expression on your face and falters. He exhales a long sigh, reaching out towards you. You try not to flinch, but you think he notices anyway, slowing the movement of his hand and lowering it until he is holding both of your hands gently.

While far from the pain you expected, the contact still _burns_ and you feel something squirm inside of you at the intensity. An intensity that only grows as he slowly strokes his thumb over the top of your hands, staring deeply into your eyes.

“Dirk,” he said softly. “I do not want you to be my servant or wish-granter or whatever ridiculous hogwash that is in the general vicinity of that thought.” If you weren’t currently riding a rollercoaster of feelings, you might have snorted at the odd phrase. As it was, you couldn’t help but be frozen by the look in his eyes.

He continued. “I realize that you have no reason to trust me and my… current actions… may seem a bit, ahem,” he blushed, eyes darting downwards to your joined hands before back to your face. “ _forward_ in a manner of speaking, but I assure you that my intentions are pure. I simply do not think that it’s right that you’re trapped down here and wish to remedy it. Can you accept that?”

“I…” You falter, countless emotions running through you as words failed you. This… this wasn’t possible. This couldn’t be happening. It was literally _impossible_. This had to be some sort of dream. A type of unrealistic dream you had come up with during your boredom and loneliness where someone actually _wants_ you and wishes to take you from this place. Or, at least, the latter. Jake wasn’t actually saying that he wanted _you_ , just that he thought your situation was unfair.

Still, it couldn’t be true.

For the second time, you break contact with him, pulling your hands from his and backing up slowly. You see his worried expression and realize that you’re shaking your head. You exhale, breath shaky and uneven. “I—I can’t,” you stammer finally. “This… this place. It’s a punishment. A prison for me. I _can’t_ leave.”

Jake’s brow knots together, every part of him screaming defiance. “And I think we’ve established what a load of hogwash that is, _Dirk_.” _Why, why does he keep saying your **name**? _ “Or were you lying before when you said that I cannot have anything I wish from this room?”

“No!” you blurt out, scrambling for any control over the conversation, but truly unable to grasp what was happening. “You can, it’s just—”

“Just what, love?” he questioned, mouth set in a straight line as he stared right through you. “If you and this cavern of yours are so ready to supply whatever the heart desire’s, then I think I’m well within my rights to request _you_ and your freedom. So what’s the problem?”

He approached you slowly, as if you were a skittish animal liable to run away at any moment. You almost laugh. Where could you go even if you wanted to leave?

“The problem,” you breathe, still shaking your head in disbelief. “Is that you aren't getting it. I’m sorry, Jake—” A pleased sound comes from his throat and you realize that you had finally referred to him by name. A blush rises on your face, but you push forward. “—but I’m no good. Compared to anything in here, I’m…”

You gesture around the room, unable to finish as something gets caught in your throat. A long forgotten, a long _contained_ , misery fills you as you view the treasures that fill the Cavern of Hearts. It felt like you were in the first few hundred years of your imprisonment again. Back before you had finally accepted that you would never leave this place. Back when you would try to figure a way out, try to figure a way back to _them_ — _but what would have been the point? There was no one waiting for you outside of these walls—_ or at least a way to freedom.

But as the years passed… you began to realize that it wasn’t going to happen. The people who came down here? They cared nothing about your fate. You were just the spirit of the cavern. A simple side note compared to the wealth of treasures around you.

Once, you had been jealous. Jealous of the objects down here. Not because of their value, but because they eventually got to _leave_. To escape this dead place and, no matter their fate or use, get to be in the _outside world_ again. Eventually, you knew, this cavern would be empty… but still, you knew, you would remain.

But, now this person… this _Jake_ wanted to…

“Dirk? Oh, bollocks, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.”  

 _Cry_?

You lifted a hand to your cheek, a strange wetness upon them. You had no idea when was the last time you cried. You’re certain that you did it often in the first years of your imprisonment, but, like your hope, they too had shriveled up and become nonexistent.

You startle as you feel a hand on your cheek, only slightly relaxing when you realize it was just Jake. _Just Jake… you’re already gone, aren’t you?_

Despite yourself, you lean into the touch, his thumb wiping away the tears. The callousness of his palms seem to become rougher with the wetness, becoming more _real_ and proof that this wasn’t some sort of cruel dream. Could it be true? Would he… could he really take you from this place?

You felt him lean in until his forehead was pressed against yours, warm breath misting upon your lips. “Please, Dirk?” he whispers, as if the fragility of this moment would break if he spoke the slightest bit louder. “Will you be the treasure I take from this wretched place?”

You swallow, trembling as you slowly remove your forehead from his. For a moment, he looks stricken, but, then, you nod. It’s small, barely a fraction of a movement, but it’s enough. His face breaks into a beam—

_RUMBLE_

You both startle as the floor begins to shake. No, not just the floor. The walls too!

Suddenly, something _hurts_ inside of you and you gasp, clutching at your head and chest. It feels like something is _ripping_ inside of you and threatens to take you apart piece by piece. It’s hot. It’s cold. It’s _agonizing—_

“— _Dirk!_ ”

You breathe, realizing that Jake had been calling you for whatever amount of time. Blurrily, you look up at him and see his frantic expression. But more than that, you see pillars collapsing in the background. Your heart rate picks up. He’s in danger. You had to get him out of here!

You grab his hand, ignoring his sound of surprise, and pull him towards the side passage that you direct all travelers to once they have completed the trials. It’s a quick shot to the surface— _one you never went into once you realized you could not step a foot from this place—_ meant to aide adventurers survive the experience intact.

Everything is crashing behind you and you hear the clatter of gold, statues, and all other manner of objects falling to the floor or being crushed beneath falling stone. Something inside of your lurches, something painful and lonely as you think of the treasures that had been your only company for years, but you ignore it, racing up the staircase along with Jake and never look back.

Every step you take is _excruciating_ , seeming to become heavier and heavier as breath becomes harder to take. It’s not surprising when you finally stumble, kneeling to the crumbling steps and clutching your throbbing head as your vision swims.

 _“Go_ ,” you croak to Jake. You don’t know why the Cavern of Hearts is suddenly imploding, but Jake needs to escape. Nothing else matters compared to that.

While he is twofold in your vision, the irritation of his expression comes through clearly. You yelp as he suddenly rushes over to you and picks you up before beginning to run up the stairs once more. “If you think that I’m just going to leave you behind, you’re dafter than a goose during—"

You blurrily blink tears from your eyes, wondering what the hell he was talking about now. Your chest hurt so much, something just _tearing_ apart on the inside.

Was this death? Were you finally dying? For once, you’re uncertain about the thought. Had it been yesterday or a thousand years before, you would have been ecstatic at finally being free from this realm and perhaps being allowed to move on to wherever you were fated to go next.

But now… you were confused. The object of that confusion being this ridiculous man risking death as he carried you from a collapsing tomb. You wanted… to understand this person. Wanted to understand what made him say what he did. _How¸_ for even a moment, he had made you believe in him? _Why_ he had even attempted to do so…

Your vision swims, harsh pants filling your ears. You’re uncertain if they’re your own or Jake’s.

_“—irk? C’mon, --lmost there! -ang on…”_

_Probably not Jake’s. It sounded like he was underwater. Miles away beneath the sea… somewhere safe. Somewhere happy… that was good…_

_You black out as bright light fills your vision._

o0o0o

_Where were you?_

_You felt warm, peaceful. It was different from the eternal numbness of the Cavern of Hearts. Were you no longer there? Or were you still there, but in a dream? If so, this was a nice dream. Comforting…_

_Suddenly, you feel movement beside you and your consciousness begins to rouse. You panic, not wishing to leave this place. You didn’t want to go back. You didn’t want to wake up to piles of gold and lifeless statues. Please, no, don’t make him—_

“Dirk? Dirk, are you alright? Please, wake up—”

_…Jake?_

_Despite a part of you screaming not to, you_ open your eyes and stare up. You meet bright green orbs, as beautiful and alluring as any emerald in the cavern. No, these were better. Why? Because they were a part of _Jake_.

“J…Jake?” you murmur, your tongue feeling thick and heavy. The effort is worth it when you see him smile, relief obvious on his face. “What… what’s going on?”

Jake breathed out, his warm breath caressing your face and making your nose itch. “Well, mate,” he said in a cheery tone that sounded a bit off. “Gave me a bit of a scare there, passing out like you did. But it’s all for the better, because we made it out!”

“Out?” you question quietly. “Out from… where?”

He looks at you in confusion before his mouth twists unhappily. You immediately feel regret, wanting to apologize for making him unhappy—

“Why don’t you see for yourself, Dirk?” Jake whispers before pulling you up.

It’s then that you realize that you’re laying on an unfamiliar surface and, for once, you can accurately feel all the aches in your body. It’s befuddling, but not as strange as all the sudden _green_ around you.

Your falls open before you can stop it, viewing the strange brown pillars with green tops— _trees_. You realize suddenly, the word coming to mind. They were _trees_. But, how? There were no trees in the Cavern of Hearts—

“Are we…” You don’t want to say it. Don’t want to be proven _wrong_ , but you have to. You have to at least _ask—_ “ _Outside_ of…”  
Your throat closes, but Jake seems to know what you’re talking about and smiles ruefully.

“Yes,” he answers pleasantly. “You’ll never have to go back there again. Even if you wanted to, I reckon it’d be rather difficult at the moment.”

He gestured behind you and you whip around, freezing at the background registers in your mind. It had been far too long for you to remember what the outside of the Cavern of Hearts looked like, but you do recall it being… well, _whole_. Now… it seemed like it was collapsing upon itself. The once proud stone walls were all broken and the foundation seemed to be cracked to pieces. Strangely enough, even though the shaking had stopped, it seemed that it was somehow becoming smaller. Almost… nonexistent. What did it mean? Were you… were you really free—

“Ah,” you startle, Jake’s voice right next to your ear. He sits beside you, seemingly unaware of your sudden fright or, at the very least, politely ignoring it. “Was wondering how far off it was.”

“How far off _what_ was?” you ask. A part of you knows though. The—

Yellow rises above the treetops, pouring warmth over the world as colors fill the once darkened sky. It hits you and you tremble, your eyes stinging as you take in the sight. It’s…

“…beautiful…”

You wrench your eyes from the sunrise, more than ready to agree with Jake, when you realize that he’s looking at you. The light hits the side of his face as he stares at you, something even warmer and unfamiliar than the sunlight filling his gaze as he looks at you… You can’t understand, can’t understand anything that’s happening right now, but maybe… maybe that’s okay. You don’t know what’s about to happen, but… Jake had taken you from your prison, it’s only fitting that you give yourself to whatever path he chooses for you next.

Apparently, Jake thinks the same as he stands up, reaching a hand out to you.

“Are you ready to go, my treasure?” He adds the last bit on, a bit of a cheeky smirk on his face.

You blush, but slowly reach up to grasp his waiting hands.

You stop halfway, fingers curling on the air as you hesitate. So many things fill your head. So many questions, confusions, _fears—_

“Dirk.”

Your head snaps up and you lock gazes once more, conflicted amber with determined emeralds. You wondered if he truly understood what he had done himself.

“Let’s go.”

You take his hand.

_In the end, it didn’t matter. Because you knew._

_You knew it the moment he began stalling, the moment that he first looked at you and wouldn’t give anything else a second glance._

_Because, from that moment on, there was no denying it. You were his._

_His treasure._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So what do you think? This is actually the first part to a series idea where Dirk is basically a Recovering Touch-Deprived/Emotionally Unaware Former Spirit. Or, at least, those are just the oneshot ideas.
> 
> I have a whole full-length chapter fic with a LOT of plot planned, but, alas, college life is busy life, so it may be some time before I can even begin to work on that. Or it might be tomorrow. Really depends.
> 
> Please tell me what you think!


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Djinn Dirk Series Update

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Part Ten of the Djinn Dirk Series, More Than Bargained For, has been published! Please enjoy!

Hello everyone! Just an update that the Djinn Dirk Series has its tenth one-shot, so please follow the link to the next one. I'll probably post on here every time I write a new one-shot for the series, and if I ever get to be able to write the chapter sequel, "The Golden Walls That Divide Us." 

 

Sequence: 

1\. The Greatest of Treasures

2\. The Price of Freedom 

3\. Of Sleep and Precious Things

4\. A Wealth of Experiences 

5\. I'd Pay Anything To Breathe

6\. Penny For Your Thoughts? 

7\. Breakfast For A King

8\. Worth Its Weight In Gold

9\. I'll Show You The Wonders Of The World

10\. More Than Bargained For

 

Chapter Sequel: 

1\. These Golden Walls That Divide Us 

 

Also, if anyone has ideas for quick one-shots, I'm always open to inspiration! 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry if there has been some odd updates or formatting errors to this story. I'm still pretty new to publishing on this site and am figuring out all the kinks.


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